Poll Says Parents Overwhelmingly Back Abstinence Education
By: Jim Brown

OneNewsNow.com
May 8, 2007

A new survey shows the majority of parents across the U.S., regardless of their economic or ethnic background, support abstinence education over comprehensive sex education. The National Abstinence Education Association is touting a new Zogby International poll that shows American parents favor abstinence education over comprehensive sex education by a two-to-one margin.

The National Abstinence Education Association (NAEA) is drawing attention to the Zobgy survey, which claims when parents become aware of what abstinence education teaches versus what comprehensive sex education teaches, support for abstinence programs jumps from 40 percent to 60 percent, while support for condom-based "safe-sex" programs drops from 50 percent to 30 percent.

NAEA executive director Valerie Huber says she is convinced there has been a "misinformation campaign" about abstinence education throughout the media.

"Once parents understood that abstinence education is really holistic and includes some of the core components, such as building healthy relationships, strengthening self-control, developing skills that will improve their chances for a healthy future marriage, and even the benefits of choosing abstinence after being sexually active," Huber notes, "parents want that message given to their teens."

The NAEA official says she hopes the results of the Zogby poll will inform the debate in state legislatures and Congress over funding for sex education in schools. "Most parents do reject the so-called 'comprehensive' sex education approach because it promotes and demonstrates condom use," she asserts. "They think it sends a mixed message and it crosses the line to actually encourage sexual activity."

Two out of three parents indicate that the mixed message of comprehensive sex education "is not something that they want their children to receive," Huber points out. She says most parents want their kids to hear a strong abstinence message and, if there is a discussion of contraception, that it should detail the "realistic limitations" of condoms and other contraceptives in preventing pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases.

Copyright 2006-2007 American Family News Network - All Rights Reserved